Steven Aftergood
Steven Aftergood
Steven Aftergoodis a specialist in physics and a political activist. He is a critic of U.S. government secrecy, generally favoring more openness. He directs the Federation of American Scientists Project on Government Secrecy and is the author of the Federation blog/newsletter Secrecy News...
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If you don't have the possibility of asking questions and presenting answers that officials may find unwelcome, then you short circuit the deliberative process, end up magnifying the power of the executive and undermining the system of checks and balances. Needless to say the press is not immune from criticism. But the possibility of independent reporting on government needs to be preserved or all of us are potentially in jeopardy.
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If you think about all of the infrastructure needed to support that number of people, you start to get a sense of just how vast our intelligence system has become. Think about all the things going on that we don't know about.
attacks exposing help incidents learn learned lessons purpose served system willing
These incidents will have served a constructive purpose if the Pentagon is willing and able to learn from them. By exposing and highlighting vulnerabilities, the attacks can actually help to inoculate the system during times of crisis. But only if the appropriate lessons are learned now.
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FOIA is one of the most vital tools we have left and it's urgent that it be protected. It's under stress in this climate, but it's not broken.
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FOIA is one of the most vital tools we have left, and it's urgent that it be protected. It's under stress in this climate, but it's not broken.
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We have an interest on public access to government information and in government control of such access. Don't shut down these guys whether they are communicating with their families or they are reaching out to the larger public.
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Secrecy has become a growth industry. It makes it harder for ordinary citizens ... to ask questions ... and to hold officials accountable.
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Secrecy seems to be the default here. It appears the judge wants to discourage media coverage.
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Some categories of classified information are protected by statute and not only by executive order. Intelligence sources and methods are protected by the National Security Act and cannot be declassified even by the say-so of the president.
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No one is suggesting the NSA is monitoring Hillary Clinton.
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This whole activity was effectively concealed. It's baffling. It's basically a covert action taking place at the National Archives.
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It prompts speculation that perhaps the government was using information that was illegally obtained.
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It's perfectly understandable the press office would be frustrated by leaks. But they are the ones with the documents, they are the ones who need to exercise discipline. You can't ask the press not to report what they learn.
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It makes reporter's job more difficult, but also gives them the responsibility to work to overcome the impediments put in their way.